The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-07-30
ODD AVOCATIONS.
How Some Enterprising New York Women
Make Comfortable Living.

How Some Enterprising New York Women
Make Comfortable Living.
A woman who has seen better DAYS
once had a fine house of her own, and
the usual embarrassm emit of bric-a-brac
in her drawing-room, which she was
accustomed to arrange herself with ex-
quisite tastefulness. When the wolf
came to her door she begged one or two
of her former friends having fine man
sions to employ her in arranging their
drawing-rooms occasionally. With
their consent she began an industry
which has developed into a business.
Once month this lady-for she is u
lady-goes to the houses of her patrons
with her two assistants and superin-
tends the cleansing of the parlors, after
the furniture has been removed, and
then rearranges them in the most ele-
CANT STYLE If she finds certain articles
are needed to make the room attractive,
la mode, she purchases them and
puts them in place. She also selects
articles of virtu, having consummatc
taste and judgment in such purchases,
for which she receives a commission
from the merchant of whom she buys.
1t would seem possibly an extravaganza
TO the reader to employ any one for
such purpose, but considering tho
wretched careless methods of servants
in New York, and the numberless arti-
cles of bric-a-brac now in vogue for
drawiug-rooms, it is an economy and
not an extravaganza to employ woman
of discretion and carefulness to keep
them in order. And then our new rich
people do not know how to arrange u
drawing-room, and it is q comfort to
them to hire some one who does know,
or, rather a necessity.
Another lady, formerly wealthy,
charges good round sum per day for
escorting ladies-strangers, of course
to the most eligible shops for purchasing
stylish garments, furniture, etc. Still
another lady acts as guide to the picture
galleries, museum and public amuse-
ments for ladies from out of town, who
write to her in advance.
For many years women have been
employed by ladies of fortune to 60
abroad and make purchases for them
in Paris, London and Berlin; in short,
to buy novelties at a cheaper rate thau
they can be Purchased here and to be
in advance of the modistes of New York.
These (some of them) are ladies who
boast that they never wear dry goods
purchased in this market, every thug
comes from abroad '-and if the truth
were known from second and third
rate shops in the cities where their
agent finds them. Shopping on COM
mission has grown to be an enormous
business in New York. One woman en-
gagged in it has an Office and clerks; she
buys furniture, jewelry-in fact all
in every State in the Union; has whole
wardrobes made up for ladies, for
children and infants, and has purchased
artificial limbs to order. There is
commission from those she buys for and
from, yielding very good percentage
in this double arrangement.
The last odd industry of women to be
mentioned here are the mending girls,
who go from house to house to sew but
tons on boots and gloves, to darn stock
ings and linen, and to make repairs on
ladies dresses, and to brush them.
Such girls usually have engagements
for one day in the week for family,
or lady, or, perhaps. half day. Lit
erary women and artists find the mend
ing seamstress very convenient and
economically Y Tribune